Never Be Replaced
by Contrariwise
Summary: A second chance wasn't really something Haruno Sakura expected. But when she moved to Tokyo for her promed course, she stumbles the unbelievable. SasuSaku
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I so do not own Naruto. If I do, I'll have a two-episode special about Kakashi's past. I swear!**

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Sakura sat beside an outgrown cheery blossom tree, busying herself by laying out the contents of a small box on a small mat she brought along. The fresh daffodils she bought early that morning were placed on a small vase beside her tucked knees. Daffodils held precious memories to her, along with other things inside the memory box.

A Christmas card inside a plain white envelope.

A dry clover leaf.

A pink barrette with rhinestones decorated in the middle.

A blue necktie and a baseball cap.

A knitted scarf.

She brushed some dust away from the white cap and placed it on a concrete stab of stone in front of her. She arranged them in a compulsive way, angling them to her satisfaction.

Today is the day she'll be entering pro-medicine studies. She had taken up her pre-med course on Yokohama before an opportunity came for her to study here in Tokyo. The decision was quite hard, considering that she had never left her hometown ever since. That place holds a lot of memories of her: her family, her friends, and most importantly, the memory of a lost love. Even though Yokohama and Tokyo form a large urban-industrial zone, it had been quite hard for her to visit the city, just because of the fact that she doesn't want to leave some things behind. But having a scholarship granted on the Tokyo University Medical School was a chance in a lifetime. She had dreamt numerous times for that certain moment and now that it's on her reach, she decided to give it a try. Besides, a professor in her old university promised his assistance to her. If everything goes right, she will survive.

But then, the moment she stepped foot on the metropolitan city of Tokyo, her thoughts were focused on a certain thing. This city is the place where her first love rested peacefully for seven years. He had flown to Yokohama for a vacation but he never came back to Tokyo alive. An eventful car accident took place days before he was supposed to leave. The last time she saw him was on a bloody wreckage, the remnants of the accident.

And now that she's finally here, a quaint cemetery was her first itinerary. A huge arc paves its entrance, along with a straight sakura lane. Fresh moist grass carpeted the land with sprinklers everywhere. The place is quite good for meditation, Sakura first thought, considering the soft wind rustling the cheery blossom flowers from its tree. It looked peaceful and tranquil; somewhere Itachi would definitely love to be.

It was spring then. She was in her last year in junior high when she first met him. According to some rumors, he was a pre-med student in Tokyo. He was quite popular with high school girls because he was assisting one of their Biology teachers. Sakura had been part of that class, along with her friends. Naruto, Ino, Tenten and Hinata had been her friends and classmates since grade school and they were by her side every time.

Though Itachi looked aloof and quiet most of the time, it had been so hard to approach him. She can't deny that she used to have a petty crush on him that's why she had asked him to become her tutor. The Uchiha seemed reluctant in the beginning but Sakura was able to see through him. He eventually opened up and told her his life in Tokyo. He liked talking about his family, though she could see longing in his eyes. He had lived with his Mom after they left California when he was a kid. He lived a simple life, with a single goal in life, and that is to become a heart surgeon someday. His father died of heart failure when he was ten years old, so does his grandfather a year earlier. Seeming to be the only one healthy in his family, he chose his path in saving lives. He went to Yokohama to do research that time during his practicum years.

They spent half a year together, with Itachi occasionally leaving to visit her mother. With that short span of time, Sakura was able to break down his barriers until he was completely vulnerable to her. Her heart grew fonder but loved him secretly for their friendship was at stake. A lot of her friends were against on her feelings, knowing that Itachi will soon leave them all behind. Itachi, on the other hand, was oblivious of her true feelings. They continued their teacher-student relationship until Christmas that year.

That certain Christmas Eve was deemed important to Sakura. She was willing to take a step forward and confess her feelings to him. He had supported her throughout everything that she dreamt of taking up medicine for herself. She was inspired by the fact that she could save lives, more importantly, she was happy to share that same profession with the one she loved. But then, Itachi had told her that he'll be leaving on New Year's Eve, that he's very much needed by his university. The supposed confession turned out to be a farewell. She had told herself over and over again about the reality that he'll never be hers, but the blunt truth still hurts.

As the days linger towards the end of the year, Sakura had never felt so bad in her short life. Her friends who were witnesses of her love and passion to the young lad were there to support her, but the burden just kept on weighing her down. Never had she felt this kind of love that it hurts, especially because Itachi had no idea about the torment he had given to her. His unawareness was unbearable.

The night he was to leave, she met him shortly at a quaint marketplace. Sakura was well aware that her heart ached for this man and that there were sad times they shared, but the friendship for the past six months was undoubtedly unforgettable. She met him with genuine happiness; she wants him to remember her like that.

She was standing near a well-lit Christmas tree on the street walk. On her bag was a knitted scarf she just finished that afternoon. She heard from a friend that Itachi will be dropping by here to buy something for her Mom in Tokyo. This is her chance.

She squinted her eyes open, fluttering the snowflakes that gathered near her lashes. In front of her was a busy street, with people with all walks of life passing by, all handling some firecracker at hand. The cars on the highway zoom pass each other; their passengers eager to drive pass the impending snowfall. Her hands were shaking because of the cold and her ears were frozen as ice, but she wanted to see him — no, he needed to see him.

Just then, a familiar raven hair in a low ponytail came into view from the opposite sidewalk. With his towering height, Itachi wasn't that hard to spot in a crowd. He was walking unhurriedly for it looked like he was talking to someone on his phone. A few feet behind him was, surprisingly, Naruto. The blonde though doesn't appear to notice the Uchiha in front for he looked very much excited over his bag of firecrackers and a take-out meal of ramen. Sakura smiled on that thought and rolled back her attention to Itachi. Her dreamy eyes loomed over his figure until she heard a faint squeak from a fat lady. Her face was horror-stricken and her finger pointed franticly somewhere. Her actions appeared funny for Sakura until she saw a small kid running down the busy street.

"My god, the kid will be run over!" chorused the passer-bys.

Sakura froze from her spot. God, will she witness something dreadful this night? Oh no, she thought inwardly.

The screams grew louder when a Cadillac convertible honked his horn frantically, all the way heading towards the crying kid in the middle of the street. Sakura's heart stopped when a few feet before the kid, the driver swerved to the right, now threatening to hit an old woman.

Within seconds, the sound of collision echoed in her ears, frightful and full of remorse. The car ran pass a mailbox to a boutique's glass. For some strange reason, her heart tapered hurtfully for a split second, and her vision became blurry. She tried to steady herself as people rushed to the scene, that is until...

"Itachi-san!" came Naruto's shaky and fearful voice.

Sakura's world crumbled right then and there, along with the strong urge to run towards the crash scene. She was about to fall on her knees when a strong hand pulled her up. All she could remember that time was Ino trying to calm her up as the police secured the area. Blood was spilled on the street walk as medics rushed over to a traumatized old lady and Itachi's curled form. Naruto's screams pounded her eardrums until she felt everything went black.

She woke up on a cold white room, with her friends by her side the next day. The subsequent events were all scary and undesirable. She heard from her friends that Itachi had died from the accident, along with the driver who didn't wear his seatbelt. The driver was going at around 90 kph, stopped abruptly by the sight of the kid, before his car ran over Itachi, who was trying to keep the old woman away from further catastrophe. Itachi died of a severe head injury and internal hemorrhage. His mother drove to Yokohama right away, with his uncle arriving shortly. They were devastated by the event; her Mom fell sick afterwards because of the shock. The next day, Sakura heard that Itachi's body and his relatives went back to Tokyo for his formal wake. Three days after the car accident, Itachi was buried to his final resting place.

Everything that happened that time was still clear in her mind. Just the thought of it brought horrific images back to her consciousness, along with the throbbing ache suffocating her heart.

It was so hard to move on. She found herself remembering the times she shared with him and all the things she learned from him. His dream became her dream. She took up Biology as a pre-med course. She found herself crying on a nearby baseball field, where she used to watch him pitch. It was just so hard to let go.

Up until now, as she brought out the things she treasured for seven long years, a tear fell down her cheek.

"I'm here, Itachi-san. Do you still remember me?" she asked in a low voice, eying the silver tombstone with his name engraved on it. "Well, a lot of things happened since we last met," she started, not quite minding her choking voice. She blew a petal away from the tombstone before continuing.

"We went on the same senior high with Naruto and the others. It had been tough but I was able to pass the entrance exam for BS Biology in Yokohama University. Hinata went here in Tokyo for college. Tenten also settled here in Tokyo, she's a dentist now. Naruto and I were on the same bloc in college and we're both taking up Biology. It was a hard time because I have to look for a living. I can't have my parents worrying for my studies now. Anyway, Ino took up Psychology as a pre-med course and now she's admitted to Tokyo Medical School, too! I met a Tokyo University professor once in a seminar and he offered his help to attain a scholarship on Tokyo Med School. I gladly took the opportunity and here I am."

Sakura looked around before wiping her face with the back of her hand.

"Tokyo looks cheerful enough. I think I'll make it through. Besides, Ino is there, too, along with Hinata in the Law School. Ino and I are both taking pro-med studies and I can't believe that we'll get reunited after four years. Naruto had something important to arrange before he'll continue his pro-med course. Can you believe it? He actually survived our pre-med classes! He's just amazing…" her voice trailed.

"Uhm… what else?" Sakura was crying now. But the need to keep Itachi informed was overwhelming that the tears were left unnoticed. "I found a dormitory for pro-med students inside the campus and I'll be staying there until I could get a small apartment of my own. I'll be returning to Yokohama in a weekly basis; Mom misses me so much…" Her sobs became louder as she continued, unaware that she was clutching too hard on the blue scarf she brought along. Her lips trembled as the wind blew her waist-long hair.

The petals of the nearby cherry blossom trees swirled, guided by the wind, as the clouds drifted above her.

"And…" Sakura bit her lip, unable to suppress the hurt bubbling out of her broken heart.

"I missed you so much…"

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**Never Been Replaced  
****Chapter 1**

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Uchiha Sasuke dusted off his trench coat in annoyance before glaring pointedly at the cloudy sky. It had been a sunny day early that morning, well, that is until it began to rain on his way home. The semester won't start till next week, but he wanted to attend advance classes in preparation with his adviser. Also, the main library was quite tempting that he decided to drop by and check out some of the medical books he'll be needing. In his chosen career in life, slacking-off was way out of his vocabulary. The course taught him at an early age that nothing could be accomplished through sheer obligation. Passion had been always the key. Without it, the hardship will not make sense, and that the next step will be meaningless.

A sound of thunder snapped him out of his deep thoughts.

He cursed himself inwardly for taking a detour on his way home. If he just trusted his instincts (which he _always_ fails to do) and went straight back home, he wouldn't be stranded on a small convenient shop on the outskirts of the city, waiting for the damn rain to subside. But as to why he had a sudden urge to visit his brother's grave, it had been a mystery. From time to time, he sees to it that he gets to visit the grave of the brother he hadn't known, thinking that that would only be the only way he could spend time with him, or with his presence. As to why that urge suddenly spurred at this particular time, he decided not to know.

He adjusted his messenger bag as he sat on the counter, waiting for his hot coffee to simmer down a bit.

He got his schedule for this semester that morning, and most of his pro-med classes were under a _well-known_ terror professor-slash-adviser in the university. The life in the university had shown him that luck is nothing but an illusion, a false hope. The only thing that could compensate his current dilemma was the thought that with discipline comes knowledge.

"Great. Just great," he hissed, failing not to sound frustrated.

Good thing that he was able to get some good books today, with the help of his adviser, of course. Sometimes it is quite hard to imagine his life in college without his adviser. Though his adviser had this certain habit of making him quite uncomfortable _sometimes_, she makes up for it from all the notes and advance classes she opened up. But then, despite the assistance Sasuke had, the bottom-line of success is to be able to survive it _by yourself. _

There are times when he would ask himself why he chose this particular path, on the path of saving lives. Honestly speaking, it hadn't been his personal choice to become one. He just heard from his Mom that his brother had dreamt to become a surgeon someday. He felt strange something that day for realizations hit him front-first.

Sasuke was born in and raised in California. He lived with his relatives, for his Mom and his brother went back to Japan after his father died. He often asks himself why they left him, but later found himself blessed for the western life they had given to him. He lived his life casually, taking everything lightly. His way of life then took a sharp turn when he learned that his brother died in Japan. It devastated him when he became aware of Itachi's dream. All he knew was that Itachi wanted to become a surgeon but despite of his noble calling, his life wasn't spared. Someone with such a righteous view in life was not given a chance to reach success, that's why Sasuke developed a strong urge to continue what his brother had innocently dreamed of.

As to how and why Itachi died, though, Sasuke wasn't that much aware of it. He doesn't have the heart to evoke that painful memory from his mother.

Three years after his brother's death, Sasuke decided to go back on his home country. He had plans in taking up medical courses here in Tokyo for a change and he also wanted to visit his brother's grave.

Besides, they haven't even had the chance to have a fruitful conversation, now was the time.

"Uchiha Itachi," Sasuke murmured randomly.

Sasuke's eyes then trailed towards the moist window pane. A girl with a green umbrella seemed to be running for cover in this rainy day caught his elusive attention. She was wearing a white dress with a small duffel bag slung on her shoulder. _Strange_. He never thought that anyone would try to visit some relatives down by the cemetery at this time. It was an old place anyway, but the setting was quite pleasing. Sasuke always liked quiet places, somewhere where he could just sit and stare up in the sky.

A faint sound of bells snapped him out of his trance, along with the voice of the store manager saying a cheerful "Welcome, Ma'am." He downed the contents of his coffee in one breath before he stood up, seeing that the rain had subsided.

"Going to visit your brother again?" asked the manager Sasuke got to know because of his occasional visits.

"Aa," he replied before he slid the glass door close behind him.

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Sakura looked over her shoulder as someone ran pass beside her, brushing her right arm lightly. The damp umbrella and her duffel bag that hung on her side swung forward upon doing so. She blinked when she had missed the person's facade that for some weird reason quirked her senses. All she could see was a blurry image of a tall guy in a trench coat exiting the convenient shop, heading towards the muddy trail she just took.

She rubbed her eyes tiredly. She doesn't like sudden changes in weather. She settled here in a sunny afternoon, but the dark clouds soon formed as the day ended. Soon, rain had cut short her first visit to Itachi.

Deciding to brush away the strange encounter aside, Sakura walked towards the counter where a warm-looking store owner was situated. He just finished putting away the cup of coffee the last customer had left when Sakura greeted her politely.

"Good evening, sir," she smiled.

The manager returned her warm greeting. "Good evening too, Ma'am."

"A cup of coffee please," she ordered as she sat on a stool near the counter. "With extra sugar," Sakura added shortly.

The manager nodded as he took a mug. As he waited for the coffee pot to simmer, his attention shifted towards the only customer. It was the first time she had been here; the manager could assume because of her distinctive hair color. Not many people get to visit this place too for it only holds an old church and a distant cemetery by the hillside. He smiled inwardly before he spared the customer a glance. Judging from her looks, she could be in her early twenties. She had with herself a small duffel bag full of books, he could tell for the books emerged when the young lady opened it up to take out her phone.

"It's a long way up there. Are you visiting someone here?" he asked.

Sakura looked up before she closed her flip-top phone. "Hai, I'm visiting a friend," she answered cheerfully. She raked her wet hair with her fingers, removing the tangles created by the wind. She had to run towards the convenient store fast to avoid being caught in the middle of the rainfall.

"A friend? There aren't many people settling here."

Sakura blinked. "Oh… I mean I was visiting my friend's grave." Sakura smiled warmly, thought she was inwardly comforting herself.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the manager exclaimed repentantly.

"Hmm… No it's fine, I don't mind at all. Actually, it's been seven years since he died." Sakura stuck up her fingers to prove her point. The manager nodded in response. "Well, I wasn't able to visit him since I was studying in Yokohama."

"I know your friend is happy now, you know. After seven years he gets to see you again," the manager exclaimed, his eyes purely comforting.

Sakura looked down and felt her heart snap. Is it true that Itachi had been waiting for her? "The truth is he was my first love…" she started out of pure consolation. She tried to mask down the hurt in her emerald eyes but the manager knew better.

"Wow, he is lucky to have someone like you. And I'm sure he's happy now."

"What do you mean?" she asked, confusion tainting her expression.

The manager lifted the coffee pot and poured some of its contents on a white mug as Sakura waited for his answer. "Well, after seven years you managed to live through. You know what I think? I think that people who died could only attain eternal happiness by seeing their love ones being able to stand on their own. The fact that you can come here with sheer cheerfulness is a sign that you cope up with his absence the right way." He set down the newly prepared cup of coffee to Sakura as she continued to space out, the manager's words echoing in her mind.

"Well," Sakura spoke up after a minute. The manager looked up from the counter and urged her to continue. "You mean he expects me to have moved on?"

"Moving on is different. What you did was to get used to the pain."

Sakura sat there for the next five minutes, stirring her coffee over and over again. Three sugar packs littered beside her mug since she likes sweet stuff. But then, the sugar was not the issue here. What the manager told her hit her unexpectedly. All this time, she stops herself from forgetting the things that happened when Itachi was still alive and found herself trapped inside those memories. That's why instead of letting him go, she clings to him unknowingly all these years. The thought that Itachi had wanted her to live her life again never crossed her mind. His eternal happiness never occurred to her, that is until now.

Forgetting him was way out of question, but letting herself free from the pain was an option. Maybe things will be right if she'll do so.

"That was comforting — what you said earlier. Thanks," Sakura said before downing the contents of her coffee. "I'll see you again, sir," she added before she hastily ran out of the store.

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"Sakura, I need your help here," Ino exclaimed impatiently, fanning her sweaty neck in annoyance.

"Wait a sec!" Sakura replied before giving a one last hard push on the table in between two medium-sized beds. "Let's see," she said, looking at Ino expectantly. "You could put it anywhere, you know. You've been busying yourself since we arrived here with that stupid portrait. You could just hang it anywhere and if you don't mind, can you help me with the others? There's still more downstairs!"

"Hai, hai!" Ino answered, sticking her tongue out. "Sheesh, there's so much to do but so little time! I still have to meet my adviser and ask for good books, well, that is if there'd be _anything_ left." Ino emphasized that on purpose, looking pointedly on Sakura.

Sakura threw her a spiteful look. "You are unbelievable. You're not the only pro-med student here."

"But!" Ino marched towards the right bed. She sat tiredly and began yawning, disregarding the portrait. "We need to rest, you know. I'm not used to long trips, besides, I have motion sickness, and I hate traveling. Can I have a break?" She pouted sweetly to Sakura, but the pink-haired student wasn't buying anything Ino said.

"I'll throw you out if you'll keep doing that," Sakura said threateningly, brandishing a broom in Ino's direction.

"It'll just be a half-an-hour nap, and I promise I won't over sleep."

Sakura's eyes widened in utter disbelief. "No, you can't or else I will leave your things down at the lobby. I won't do something about it, I swear."

Ino sighed. "If you hadn't disappeared the minute we stepped in our dormitory then we could've finished setting up. Where have you been anyways?"

Sakura immediately dodged Ino's gaze and swallowed delicately.

"Sakura, you don't know anyone here, I know that much. Where could you possibly go?"

"I just took a walk," Sakura lied, but Ino's instincts were detecting something much interesting.

"I saw you take a bus towards downtown," she stated casually.

This time, Sakura shifted uncontrollably.

_Bingo, _Ino cheered inwardly. Seeing her best friend in the brink of uneasiness, Ino smiled triumphantly. "See? We all have things to do, why can't you let me go this time? I promise to clean the room trice a week and empty the trash bin everyday, I swear."

Sakura's eyes narrowed in suspicion. Ino had always been like that — she had her own ways to get what she wants. Whether it's her keen eye or her overflowing wit, Sakura doesn't want to know how. With a final sigh of resignation, Sakura nodded.

"Yosh!" Ino cheered.

"Okay, you take your nap, I'll just try to look around the campus," Sakura decided, pulling her handbag.

"Hello! What are you thinking, Sakura? This university is _huge. _You can't get around without a car. Besides, it's already late." Ino rolled to her bed and hugged a pillow, staring at Sakura while she fumbled on her shoe laces.

Finishing the final knot, Sakura got up. "I'll get something to eat, okay? And don't forget to set the alarm. You still have your things littered down by the lobby. I won't do anything about it if you over sleep, understand?" With a blink of an eye, Sakura was out on the door.

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"Che! Stupid Ino-pig! Always slacking-off. I mean, how could she possibly survive in this large university with her laid-back attitude?"

The two of them had been best friends since high school. Though they are constantly in each other's throats, there is always an unspoken friendship that binds them together. Even though Ino could be very, very careless and sloppy, Sakura always takes Ino lightly. She liked making fun of her, like letting Ino take a nap then ask her to do all the chores the next day. The blond complies, thinking that there'd be no point in arguing. But secretly, Sakura was pretty much thankful that Ino's still with her.

Still, the blond could be really irritating sometimes.

Sakura kicked a random pebble away from the street walk and continued to mumble something, occasionally looking around at the out grown trees towering the buildings. She noticed a faint light post by the end of the street and jogged towards it. "This place is enormous!!!" She emphasized the word 'enormous' by exhaling loudly. "Hmm… I wonder where the main library is," she thought inwardly before she reached a pedestrian lane. She looked up for any sign of street lights. When she found the place devoid of it, she skipped happily towards the open road.

"Hey, look out!" someone yelled, startling Sakura. But the frightened gasp from that someone was soon drowned in when a horrid honking sound rooted her to the spot.

The last thing she could remember was a white, blinding light.

Then a hurtful and a resounding collision took place.

And then, nothing.

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**Break fic. Break fic. Not that I'm stuck with The Girl I Used to Know. Nope.**** It's just that I watch the movie version of Taiyou no Uta and it broke my heart. -sniff- I NEED TO GET THIS OUT, OKAY? **

**So… review :)**


	2. Chapter 1

"Itachi-san!" Sakura greeted politely with a grin.

The tall raven-haired teen in front of her turned slowly, looking slightly uninterested. "Did you bring the things I asked you to?" he asked timidly.

Sakura's face lightened and her grin widened. "Hai!" she answered almost immediately. She took a step back and rummaged her backpack for her notes, as Itachi waited for her impatiently. Her eyes glistened when she found her Biology notebook amongst her things and waved it to him. He grunted, acknowledging it before he started walking hurriedly towards the faculty. Sakura followed suit, skipping happily a couple of feet behind him.

"Ano… Amano-sensei taught us about the respiratory system today, Itachi-san," she started, trying to strike out a friendly conversation, like what she always did whenever she's with him. Her eyes looked up to stare at his back pointedly, waiting for his reply.

Itachi, on the other hand, continued to walk rather briskly yet silently, his face remaining reserved.

Sakura's expression didn't falter at all by the cold treatment. She had been used to being ignored, especially by Itachi. And instead of looming over how people tend to take her for granted, she takes this kind of opportunities to get closer. She knows that people put massive walls around them not to keep everyone away from their lives. She believes that they tend to do so to see who cares enough and are willing to break those barriers just to be with them. And for Sakura, Itachi is no different from those people and because of that, she developed a 'never say die' attitude towards him.

"I wasn't able to catch up a bit but I'm fine. Anyways, I heard from a faculty teacher that you went home to Tokyo last weekend, is that true?"

Sakura waited patiently, her cheerfulness never deflating.

They passed by the hollow corridors to the staircase; still, Itachi had yet to answer her.

"Well, maybe you did. Maybe you did not," she said with a slight giggle, amused at Itachi's reserved attitude. "I guess you don't want people meddling with your business, is that right? I do too sometimes, honestly. But then, I choose not to. It's kinda scary for me, you know," she paused.

Step. Step. Step.

"Sometimes it feels much better to have someone to talk to — it makes you feel that you're not alone," she mumbled. Sakura then noticed his shoulders tensing. "Oh, not that I'm imposing anything. No, of course I'm… not," she stopped before biting her lower lip. She sighed and reprimanded her offending mouth before looking up with uneasiness. "I… Uh… Did I offend you or something?" she asked quietly. She skipped hurriedly until she reached his side before she tilted her head to see his face.

"Itachi-san?"

The older teen spared her a sideward glance before rolling his eyes off elsewhere.

"Hn."

Sakura expelled a sigh of relief and clapped her hands cheerfully. "Thank God."

Itachi gripped the pile of papers tucked under his arms and drooped his eye lids lazily.

"Anyway," Sakura murmured, trying to suppress the silence. "I saw you last week down by the baseball field. I didn't know you play baseball! I mean, I've never been into sports personally that's why seeing you down the field was like so awesome—"

"Haruno," he interrupted sternly.

Sakura turned to him attentively, her green orbs shinning with excitement. "What is it?"

Itachi's gaze hardened, his jaw clenching as if he was debating with himself.

"About what you said earlier…"

Sakura tilted her head sideways. "The baseball thing…?"

"No."

"The imposing thing…?"

"No!" he replied irritably.

"Then what is it?" she asked perplexedly, her face drenched with confusion. Her eyes were in deep concentration, trying to asses the situation.

Itachi dismissed the idea and hurried towards the faculty door.

Sakura pouted sadly between the gap on the door, watching him with a steady gaze. His back was facing her, busying himself by arranging the pile of folders littered on the table. He piled them up as slowly as he could without letting Sakura notice that he was doing it on purpose. He finished with a silent tap on top of the pile before he sighed, thinking that it won't do him wrong to open up a bit, even if it would be to someone as loud as his tutee.

"I went home to Tokyo last weekend," he started, clearing his throat.

He turned to her with a stern look on his handsome face.

"I visited my Mom…"

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**Never Be Replaced  
****Chapter 2**

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"Ouch!" Sakura winced after she got up groggily, the pain on her ankle increasing exponentially.

"Settle down, miss," a friendly nurse instructed beside her hospital bed. Sakura tried to focus her gaze on her but for some unknown reason, her head swirled repeatedly, making her vision blurry. The nurse guided her to her pillows and soon, she was back in lying again.

"Where am I?" she asked cluelessly.

The nurse winked at her direction. "What do you think?"

Sakura frowned. The stranger wasn't helping at all. With an irritated sigh, she opened her eyes again, this time fully determined to know where she could be. The pain was there again, throbbing violently on her right leg. The first thing she saw was a white blinding light she later mockingly discovered as a fluorescent light. A white-clad female standing beside her was placing something on what seemed to be a bedside table. The next thing she saw made her gasp in shock.

"Wha—?" she screamed before she pointed franticly into something hanging in front of her. The nurse smiled and tapped the said thing (which made Sakura wince in pain) with pleasure.

"Oh, this? You broke your ankle but don't worry, this will speed up its recovery," she said cheerfully, pointing at the cast enveloping her healthy right leg awhile ago as if nothing serious had really happen.

"Broke my ankle? What do you mean? AND FOR GOD'S SAKE, WHERE AM I?" she asked hysterically, trying to stand up but failing miserably. The pain was overwhelmingly overcoming her senses, scaring her to the brink of sanity. It's not everyday that you get to wake up with a broken ankle, with no recollection of whatever happened earlier in a place you can hardly identify at all. And the female was creepy, talking about people's injuries as if they had been there all the time!

Speaking of the white-clad female, she was chuckling silently behind her clipboard, amused on how Sakura reacted. She was sure that the patient will go berserk upon learning what _really_ happened and the extent of her injuries. Now she feels sorry for the _un_lucky guy that did this to her.

"Care to fill me in?" Sakura asked impatiently. One more giggle from the female and she's going down, way below sea level.

"I'm afraid I'm not in the right place to do so. You have to wait for someone, he just got out. He's the one you need to ask." With that, the female walked away.

Sakura narrowed her eyes suspiciously on the exiting female. Her shoulders were rising, enough evidence to know that she had been laughing to some people's misery. Knowing that she couldn't possibly do anything about it at this state, Sakura slumped her back comfortably on the bed before she saw a narrow tube connected on the back of her palm. She followed the clear chord up towards the upside-down bottle, to the pole where it hung.

"What?! Why am I in a hospital?" she asked herself despicably, finally making sense to what she can see. Definitely a hospital, she thought. The last time she woke up in a hospital was after _that _car accident but what bothered her was the fact that she was unable to identify the place where she had been working on her duty hours in pre-med. Was she jinxed? she asked herself nervously. She then later slapped her undoubtedly large forehead upon seeing the large cement case enveloping her right leg from her knee down to her toes hanging crossly in front of her.

"Shit!" she mumbled. _What happened?_ She tried wiggling her sticking toes but a sharp pain ran through her body.

But even before she could tear up her hair away from her wretched head for her cursed fate and weird turn of events, she heard someone open the hospital door.

_Finally! _she cheered inwardly but as soon as she saw the face of the visitor, her breath hitched up to her throat.

-

-

-

"Where could she probably be?" Ino asked anxiously to the person on the other side of the line. She clutched the receiver impatiently before she bit her lip. "Her family would be looking out for her soon. Her mother will kill me!" she cried.

The person on the opposite line sighed.

"Don't you just 'sigh' on me, Naruto! It's your fault in the first place! If you had told her from the beginning that you'll be having your pro-med course here too then she won't have to feel so sad about having to stay with me. When she left, I could see that something's bothering her and now she's nowhere to be found. If something bad happened—"

"_Ino," _Naruto cut off from the other line._ "Don't you dare. Sakura-chan's alright, at least I can feel that. Besides, Sakura-chan wouldn't want her friends to worry about her well-being. I'm sure she'll answer up as soon as she can. We just have to wait. Besides, she's a strong person. She can survive anywhere; she can even make a decent meal out of a cactus in case she'll be stranded on a desert. Believe me, she'll be fine!"_

Ino leaned towards the glass wall inside the telephone booth before she sighed worriedly. "I hope you're right. And don't forget to tell her that you also enrolled here, okay? She likes surprises but this one is not funny. She was wallowing in self pity when she heard that you can't make it. Well, at least, tell something nice to cheer her up, alright? Since we arrived here I've never seen her smile. Knowing her, she must be under stress. Help her adjust, okay? I can't do this on my own."

"_Not to worry, Ino! I'll be there as soon as I can. And," _he paused thoughtfully before he continued_. "Have you seen Hinata-chan there?" _he asked jovially

"Sheesh… I gave you her number, why not ask her yourself if she's doing fine? Besides, she told me she was having a hard time in Law School; she needs to keep up with a lot of her readings. Try to visit her sometimes, she misses you, you know," Ino replied, looping the cord on her index finger. "Anyway, I'm running out of coins, I'll call you later if anything happens. Bye."

-

-

-

The new visitor inhaled tensely as his gaze lingered towards Sakura's bed. His attention shifted towards the patient's hanging leg before he took a step closer.

"You wouldn't believe what happened," Sasuke said as the girl flinched anxiously under his gaze. Her horrid and twisted expression went unnoticed to the raven-haired guy for he also has his own share of concerned thoughts. If this wouldn't go the way he perceived, he'll end up in jail with reckless driving written on his account. That wouldn't be nice, considering that he only retrieved his license after being restrained for driving under the influence of alcohol. Apparently, Sasuke wasn't an obedient citizen at all, or that he was just purely unlucky to be in wrong places at the right times.

He then took the girl's silence as an urge to go on, without knowing that she was staring at him with awe and overwhelming recognition. "I'm Uchiha Sasuke by the way," he said politely, hoping that the girl will get a nicer impression and further decide not to pursue a case against him.

Finally, Sakura got the courage to open her dry mouth. "U-Uchiha?" she muttered unbelievably.

Sasuke looked down at her in utter confusion, his aristocratic features darkening. "Yes. AndIranoveryouacoupleofhoursago," he said quickly.

Sakura's brow furrowed, not quite catching what he said. Sasuke, on the other hand, took this as a bad sign.

"Hey, look, I will pay for all the hospital bills. I swear I won't run away," he said defensively, shrugging his shoulders.

"What?" Sakura asked, feeling the need to know what was happening.

Sasuke sighed. "I said I ran over you at the campus, do you remember now?" he asked silently, his face full of repentance.

Sakura frowned. "No," she answered truthfully.

"Well, the doctor said you had a concussion. A _minor _one at that," Sasuke pointed out, hoping that the girl won't freak out. "Maybe you'll remember what happened after you recover," he explained as Sakura surveyed her with her green eyes. The girl had undoubtedly shocking pink hair, with shocking green eyes. He wondered why he didn't even notice her cross the street. All he could remember was a loud thud and when he got out, the girl was lying unconsciously on the road. Well, it was partly his fault since he took a sharp turn abruptly. Still, that wasn't the point.

Sakura's gaze hardened when it lingered towards his dark eyes. They were hauntingly similar to Itachi's and knowing that he was also an Uchiha, they _might_ be closely related. To think of it, the resemblance was scary it can bring back all the pain she endured when he left them unexpectedly. Those hurtful memories she decided to seal when she visited his memorial found its way back into her mind. It was so unbelievable that she could come across another Uchiha, let alone ran over her poor body.

Sasuke shifted his weight on his right foot as he felt her eyes digging out to his soul. Her alluring eyes mirrored something else and it felt uncomfortable. But then, he soon found it hard to tear away his gaze for some unknown reason.

"Uchiha-san," Sakura said, biting her lower lip. She didn't fail to remind herself that that was also the name she used when she first called out for Itachi seven years ago.

Sasuke looked away swiftly; her eyes were telling him something and for now, he felt unready for it.

"Where are my belongings? I think I need to make a phone call to avoid making my friends worry," she exclaimed simply.

"Of course," Sasuke replied and pulled a drawer from the bedside table. A transparent plastic came into view with Sakura's things on it. He gave her the plastic bag before he stood there silently, watching her wordlessly.

Sakura opened up the bag with difficulty as her body felt slightly uncoordinated. Maybe it was because of the accident. Something tells her that the Uchiha hadn't told her the extent of her injuries. She reached out for her cellular phone in the bag and saw that Ino was calling. She debated whether she'll answer her or not when an idea popped out of her mind.

"Uchiha-san, can you talk to my friend and tell me I'm fine, and that she doesn't need to worry? I'm afraid she's pissed off because of my sudden absence," she said, her eyes pleading. "She doesn't believe anything I say, you know." The guy grunted before he took her phone and pressed the loudspeaker button.

"_SAKURA!!" _Ino screamed, feeling relieved that her friend finally picked up.

The two closed their eyes with a wince upon hearing the loud booming sound of the person's voice on the other side.

"_WHERE ARE YOU NOW?!"_

Sakura smiled at her friend's antics before she looked up to Sasuke, urging him to talk to her.

Sasuke took a delicate gulp. He hadn't known what he got himself into until it was too late. Typically Sasuke.

"Hello," he answered softly, looking at Sakura's direction. Sakura nodded.

"_SA—WHO'S THIS?!"_

Sasuke's brows knitted and looked pointedly at Sakura.

"I'm Sasuke," he answered simply.

"_WELL WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?! AND WHERE'S SAKURA?!" _the person on the other side asked frantically.

"She says that she's fine and that you don't have to worry," he paused as Sakura tugged his arm. "And—she said she'll call you up later. Bye," Sasuke said abruptly and closed the flip-top phone. With a sigh, he returned it to Sakura.

"Sorry. She tends to be… loud sometimes," she apologized, seeing the traumatic Uchiha taking a stool to sit at. He pulled a nearby chair and sat tiredly, closing his eyes for a minute because of the fatigue. Sakura placed her phone in the table and continued to watch him with a sideward glance, taking into account his dark hair and onyx eyes. The face was sinfully handsome, just like Itachi's, she noted. Then her gaze fell down towards his neck, down to his white shirt and his firm chest. He looked serene and calm from her point of view, and his mere presence was so overpowering.

Sasuke opened his eyes and met her gaze. She immediately averted her eyes and blushed heatedly, seeing that she was caught.

"Have we met before?" he asked suddenly out of nowhere, for even he didn't know why he did so. With her distinctive features, the girl wasn't hard to identify. If he had seen her before, he could point out the exact time and place but his head wasn't giving out decent, logical answers. A part of him tells they already did, while the other half appeared to be down-right uninterested.

Sakura looked away and felt her cheeks. "No, I don't think so, Uchiha-san," she answered, not recalling a fruitful meeting.

A moment of silence passed and Sakura remembered hurtfully those times she shared with Itachi where nothing is spoken, yet she felt safe and happy. To know that Itachi was there, despite his lack of words is more than enough for her. Now, this guy is painfully digging out the pains she buried along with Itachi seven years ago. It was just so hard to believe that someone could make her feel the way she felt when she was with her lost love.

"What's your name?" he asked.

Sakura stopped her trail of thoughts and sighed. The guy definitely reminds him of Itachi but Itachi was the only person Sakura would like to talk to despite of his silence. Besides, this guy was way too friendly compared to Itachi, seeing that he was trying _hard _to strike out a conversation. She could tell that by the way he shifted with uneasiness every time he spoke. Something tells her that the guy was acting way out of his usual character.

"I didn't catch you name," he added before looking away. As to why he asked that, he wasn't really sure. Besides, he mustn't revert back to his usual aloof and cold attitude now for his fate whether he'll spend a night in jail or not lies on the hands of this girl. Nothing else.

"Oh, it's Haruno Sakura," she replied cheerfully. Sakura smiled before her gaze fell on her cemented leg. "What about my leg?" she spoke out. Sasuke, instead of looking towards the leg, sought comfort by looking her face. "Classes start in two days. I have to attend hospital duties during weekends, I can't work with this leg," she pointed out.

Sasuke's brows shot up. "You're a medical student?" he asked.

"Yes."

"So am I," he exclaimed. "I'm a freshman pro-med student, took up Psychology as a pre-med course also at the Tokyo University."

Sakura's eyes softened. Here it goes again. This guy never fails to make her remember everything about Itachi. If only he knows…

"Why do you want to become a doctor?" he asked again, crossing his hands in front of him.

Sakura surveyed his eyes, looking for a hint as to why he asked. She looked away when she saw nothing but pure curiosity. "Well, as someone I know always says, I want to pursue a profession in saving lives."

There was something on her voice that made Sasuke wonder.

"How about you? Why did you choose this career?" she asked uncertainly.

It took a long time for him to answer but when he did, Sakura was lost in her words, her eyes watering automatically.

"Well, I used to like to be an Architect when I was young," he started out casually. "But then, I heard my brother wanted to become a heart surgeon someday. When I went home here in Japan, I decided to pursue something that would make him proud… even though he can't be here to witness it…" he paused.

Sakura's heartbeat almost stopped.

"He died seven years ago, you see," he exclaimed as Sakura's unshed tears fell.

Sakura swallowed hard. She tried to blink back the salty tears but they overflowed. She turned away from him and sobbed silently.

Sasuke, on the other hand, was panicking. He never knew that girls could be this _hyper_sensitive. Well, to think of it, he doesn't know anything about girls at all. Cursing himself for the overly dramatic story he told, he moved closer to her bed. But then, when he saw her raw and stained cheeks, he immediately forgot what he wanted to say. Instead, the panic rose.

"Hey…" he mumbled, unsure on what to say.

Sakura bit her lip and tried to suppress the tears. "Oh… I'm sorry. I… _I didn't know._"

Sasuke nodded. "I understand," he replied hesitantly.

_I hope you can, _Sakura thought for if he could, he would know why she broke down into tears. She didn't know. She didn't know that the guy that almost ran over her was none other than Itachi's fated younger brother. Hell, she didn't know Itachi even had a brother — he never talked about him, not even once. The only relative he got to mention was her Mom. And now, now that Sakura found peace and the courage to leave everything from the past, Itachi once again came back to her life, as personified by Sasuke himself.

"Well, I shouldn't have told you… It's not like I have much to tell you about him. I've never even met him. To put in precise words, he can be considered a stranger to me. But strangers are just family we have yet to come to know," he added before snapping out of his own trance. "Anyway, I know it'll be hard for you to go to classes with that leg. I'm sorry," he paused. Sasuke looked down her face, to her beautiful dazzling pools of emerald eyes before he sighed. "I can escort you in between classes, I think I can do that much."

Sakura smiled sadly, the thought that she had been speaking with Itachi's brother still lingering in her mind.

"Thanks…"

"Hn."

Sakura fought the overwhelming recognition and tried to calm herself. Now she could tell that Itachi's antics had always been hereditary.

"Haruno," Sasuke spoke. "Will it hurt you to know that I'll be helping you in place of someone else?" he asked.

Sakura's brows shot up and looked up to him with questioning eyes.

Sasuke nodded, deciding to keep the reason for himself. He had known that Itachi died in a car accident. How he wished he was spared. Looking at the girl he almost hit was like looking at his brother. He wanted to help this girl just like how he wanted a chance to help his brother.

Sakura's face lightened. "And I assume it wouldn't hurt you to know that I was looking at you in place of someone else, right?"

-

-

-


	3. Chapter 2

Sakura limped ever so slowly up in a staircase, with Sasuke cautiously trailing behind her. Every step was a dispute. Never had she appreciated the fact that she could walk effortlessly until her right leg got injured. Now, she has to get used to taking a step on her left, followed by a hobble on the right.

"I didn't know you stay here. I do too but I haven't moved in yet," Sasuke said lightheartedly.

The girl was so stubborn, Sasuke said to himself as an afterthought, frowning invisibly. She refused to take a cane, a wheelchair, or whatever that might help her ease off the burden of walking with a plaster cast on one of her legs. She walked from her hospital room down to the lobby without a nurse's help, taking the entire excruciating process for about two hours to just reach the reception area. That's why Sasuke had to endure a fifteen-minute wail inside his car when the girl felt the after effects of her stubbornness. The last of her pain killers went off, now Sakura could feel the extent of her injury.

But just as Sasuke thought that the girl had learned her lesson, he learned pitifully when they reached the exclusive dormitory for pro-medical students that Sakura still insists on walking alone, or in definite terms, _wobbling_ alone.

"Is that so?" Sakura asked in between pants, her hands trembling as she took another step up. "I guess you were pretty popular here, seeing that every girl that crosses your path knows you," she added as a joke but even she failed to be humored by it.

"Whoa. Don't get the wrong idea. I've known them when I was in pre-med," he answered honestly. He looked up when he saw the girl stopped, taking deep breaths. It was still a long way up, considering that the girl was situated in the third floor. At this rate, it would take forever.

"Uchiha-san," Sakura called up. "You don't have to escort me all the way up to my room. I don't want to waste any of your time. I can do this… eventually."

Sasuke frowned. See? This girl had so much pride she'd rather die than to accept her incapability. How could she be so optimistic when she hardly made it to the second floor?

"Uchiha-san?" Sakura looked over her shoulder and saw him staring. "Uchiha-san, I said—whoa! Hold it! Hey… hey put me down at this instant! HEEEY!" Sakura practically screamed, her body being lifted up against her will.

"If you hadn't noticed, straining your body would only prolong your recovery. I supposed you are aware of that, you are a budding doctor to start with," Sasuke said before he brushed away her stubborn attitude. If the girl had been this cooperative from the very start, they could've save a lot of time and a lot of effort, effort that she should be conserving if she wanted to get well soon.

Sakura slumped back in defeat, fatigue already taking its toll on her frail body. She knew she could do it all alone; just a couple more steps and everything would be over. Well maybe it _wasn't_ just a couple more steps but the point is she doesn't want people to think she was weak, even though it was just as simple as this. Even though the Uchiha has a point, he doesn't understand anything about how she feels right now. No, Sasuke had no idea.

"But this had nothing to do about my recovery. This is called being independent," she spat out.

The Uchiha raised his brow. "This is called being stubborn. Alright, we're here. Room 301."

"Stubborn?" Sakura repeated with wide eyes.

"See? You're doing it again," he replied before he set her down gently. Sakura first stepped her healthy leg before she laid down the injured one. She winced a bit, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

"Anyway, thanks for keeping up with me." Sakura bowed politely, her long hair falling on her sides.

"Don't mention it," he shrugged before he fished his car keys. "See you at school," he added before he walked down. When his padding footsteps disappeared, Sakura sighed in fatigue. It was hard trying to prove your point, but it's worth it, though Sasuke prevailed in the end. _Anyway, _Sakura brushed off unwanted thoughts and knocked gently on her room door. She was well aware that Ino had a well-prepared speech ready for her arrival. Then, the knob turned and finally Ino's head popped out.

"Ino!" Sakura smiled genuinely.

"Sakura! Where have you been? Why haven't you called? Are you insane? What were you thinking? Are you aware of how worried we were?" Ino started out, her gaze falling down from Sakura's cheery face. "Do you know that we have to answer numerous calls from your family? Where could you possibly stay? And _why_ haven't you bothered to think about your friends _who _weren't able to get a decent sleep last night because when I called you up, listen, a guy picked up! Where you with someone last night? What possessed you to do that and why is your leg like that…?" Ino's voice trailed and looked up with questioning eyes.

Sakura's smile widened that it resembled a grin. "I'd rather explain inside, Ino," she answered casually.

Ino sighed and pulled the door wider, that's when Sakura caught a bright shade of orange seated on one of the beds.

"Naruto? Naruto, you're here!" Sakura cheered before she almost jumped excitedly, _almost. _That was until she remembered that she had a bad leg because of a painful jot of pain that ran past her body.

"Sakura-chan, what happened to you?"

Almost immediately, the two helped Sakura up before she could stumble down. They guided her delicately towards her bed, with Ino occasionally throwing out incoherent questions.

"Sit," she ordered before she stood in front of Sakura, along with Naruto. Their gaze studied the cast in her right leg to her bubbly face. "Explain."

"Can I first take a nap?" she asked cheerily.

"What happened, Sakura-chan?" Naruto urged.

"Oh, Naruto. Why are you here?" she asked, dodging his question.

"Well, Sakura-chan you wouldn't believe that—"

"Naruto!" Ino reprimanded. "That is not the issue. And Sakura, for once can you get this over and tell us what happened to you? We barely convinced your parents that you were out in the library. We can't explain your lack of communication to them. Now, SPILL!"

Sakura moved a bit back, scared by Ino's persuasion. It is true that what Ino wants, Ino gets. Thinking that there's no other way but to tell the truth, Sakura took a deep breath and started. "I got hit by a car the night I disappeared," she started out but her friends' reactions were outrageous. Naruto was seething with anger and Ino was practically pissed. "I don't want you to worry about it; it wasn't that serious. Look, I only got out with an injured leg. I would've died if the case was different. I'm sorry I left you like that but it can't be helped. Besides, the person that did this to me took responsibility of all the hospital bills; he even dropped me off here. There's nothing to worry."

"But, Sakura, where were you hit? Was the driver drunk?" Ino asked, her lip quivering in fear.

"No, no. The driver wasn't drunk. It was both our fault. He took a sharp turn and I crossed the street without being cautious of my surroundings," she explained briskly.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Ino cried as she caught Sakura in a tight embrace. "I'm sorry I didn't know."

"Ino, that's alright. Besides, I owe you for keeping my parents at bay," Sakura exclaimed, patting her best friend's head. She looked up after sometime and her gaze lingered towards Naruto. "Naruto, now why are you here?" she asked innocently.

That's when Ino lightened up. "You wouldn't believe what he's about to say."

Sakura tilted her head sideways, unsure of what her other best friend would have to articulate. She urged him to go on but Naruto kept quiet, filling the suspense. "Okay!" he cheered before she grabbed Sakura's shoulders. "Sakura-chan! Guess what? I made it here!" he exclaimed, her cerulean eyes shimmering in delight.

"Huh?" Sakura mumbled, not quite getting what he said.

"Sakura-chan, I told you I failed the entrance exams, right? The truth is I was actually waitlisted. It's a 50-50 chance of getting in the Medical School. But then, I met a Professor and he assisted me in my papers, and before I knew it, TA-DAH! I'm admitted!"

Sakura's jaw dropped comically, just as what Naruto expected. "You… you mean…"

"Uh-huh! I'm here. I'll be your dorm mate, classmate, bloc mate, anything you wanna call me," he filled in, her whiskers giggling in excitement.

"For real? I—I mean you get to stay here and… OH MY GOD, NARUTO! THAT'S GREAT NEWS!" Sakura exclaimed before she tried standing up.

"Hey, watch out for your injury," Ino reminded, not wanting her best friend to realize it a little too late.

"Of course, Sakura-chan! I'm sorry I haven't told you the truth. I wanted to surprise you and all but Ino eventually found out." Naruto threw Ino a blank look.

Ino flipped her hair casually before she shrugged. "I have means."

"As expected," Sakura added. Naruto jumped up and down, dancing around the gap between the beds as Ino flicked her nails, telling Naruto to keep it low. Besides, boys weren't allowed in their room, though the dormitory was co-ed. Sakura giggled when Naruto showed her his schedule. They have a subject in common — Advanced Anatomy — which is what Sakura needed. She smiled inwardly before her thoughts drifted to someone else, to someone she wasn't even sure why she had to.

-

-

-

Ino pulled Naruto's collar rather rudely as they exited the room. Making sure that Sakura was asleep, the duo sought out some private space to talk about something _very_ important.

Naruto pouted and shifted his weight on his soles, successfully halting Ino as well. He snatched his jacket's collar and patted it before he glared the other blonde. "Why did you do that?" he asked, sounding very much offended.

Ino crossed her hands, effectively portraying a scary stance — well, to Naruto, it was kinda scary. "I didn't understood what you told me back there when Sakura still hasn't arrived."

"What? Are you stupid?"

Ino immediately smacked the blonde.

He nursed the sore spot on his head before sighing. "You don't have to do that all the time!" he spat out before swallowing. "I said I met someone… to be precise, I met an Uchiha." Naruto eyed Ino expectantly. "Does that ring a bell?" he asked, seeing that Ino wasn't harboring the reaction he wanted. "Hello, Uchiha… Uchiha Itachi, now do you remember?"

Ino's face paled. "Uchiha…? Of—of course I do," she stammered. _How could I forget that person who could affect Sakura with just a mere thought of him?_

"And he looks exactly like Itachi-san, they're practically carbon copies of each other," Naruto added.

"Sssh!" Ino reprimanded. "Not too loud, Sakura might hear us!" She pulled Naruto's head lower before she continued. "Is that true?"

"Yes," he whispered excitedly, feeling so ecstatic because he was the first to know. "I dropped by the library and I saw him. He's practically with _a lot _of girls — just like Itachi's fan club way back when he was an assistant teacher seven years ago. The difference was the length of the hair since this guy I met sported a shorter one. But the face and all, even his rude attitude, it was all Itachi!" Naruto exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement.

"This isn't good…" Ino added with a frown.

"And since practically _everyone_ in the college library knew him, it wasn't that hard to ask about him. Look, he happens to be a freshman pro-med too!"

Ino shifted uneasily. "Naruto, I think we have a problem…" Ino looked up with worry on Naruto's blue eyes. "We can't let those two meet! I mean, when Sakura and I got here, the first thing she did was to visit Itachi's memorial! I wasn't stupid not to know what she was up to. If she meets him then she'll retreat back on her shell and wallow in self pity again! We can't afford to lose her again!"

Naruto sighed. So it's true. Sakura still hasn't moved on even after seven years. She was so stubborn, even when they were still in high school. She never gave Itachi up even though she knew that he would be leaving them in the end. Even death hadn't hindered Sakura from loving the Uchiha that she can't even accept the fact that he was gone… forever. The past seven years were hard. She hadn't smiled for two years since Itachi died and it took five years to fully see her half of the cheerfulness she portrayed when he was still here. It was all so complicated and now, another Uchiha crossed their path. Is all of this bound to happen? Will Sakura have to face the same pain again?

No. The answer is final. They cannot let her fall in that state of solitude.

"What's his name?" Ino asked anxiously.

Naruto bit his lower lip.

"Uchiha Sasuke."

-

-

-

"Haruno Sakura?"

Ino's head shot up.

"Is Haruno Sakura here?" asked a female assistant professor.

Ino elbowed Naruto who was seated beside her. "Where is Sakura?" she asked lowly.

Naruto shrugged. "She had classes before this at the fourth floor, remember? She might be stuck around the stairs or something; she still doesn't want us to help," Naruto answered, his eyes downcast.

"She's crazy! We have the greatest doctor in Japan as our professor and she doesn't show up in the first meeting?" Ino's eyes rolled heavenward. Sakura was way out of line! Why would she have to be prideful and resist any help from them? This is not even a question of pride, it is all about stubbornness. It is practically written all over Sakura. "She can't afford to slack off. Even though she was stuck somewhere else, Sakura would still see to it that she doesn't miss a class." Besides, this is the only class the three were classmates, Sakura can't just leave all things behind and not show up.

The two just sighed when the assistant professor marked their pink-haired friend absent. It can't be helped.

"That's it. We have to escort her in between classes from now on. If we have to drag her all the way we would!" Ino exclaimed, slightly angered by her friend's absence.

"Uchiha Sasuke?"

The duo froze in their seat.

"What?!" they chorused silently. Ino whipped her head towards Naruto in a flash, her eyes full of concern. "Naruto… what should we do?" she asked fearfully.

"Wait," Naruto interrupted and urged Ino to look at the back.

"Present," they heard from the back.

Despite the huge lecture hall, Ino was able to see a clear view of the Uchiha's face. Truth be told, he looks exactly like his brother! The resemblance was scary that Ino was sure that Sakura's heart would melt from then and there upon seeing it. He was wearing a white tight shirt, a blue cap and Itachi's usual stoic face that Ino almost fell off her seat.

"I told you," Naruto pointed out.

"Oh… my… god…" Ino gasped, her breath hitching. "Naruto…"

"See? I told you they look like twins. Maybe he was Itachi's lost brother or something," Naruto added confidently.

"No, Naruto!" Ino gasped out. She began frantically grasping Naruto's sleeve, her face horror-stricken. "Why is Sakura with him?" she almost yelled out, before Naruto told her to keep quiet.

"What are you talking about?"

"LOOK!" she hissed under her breath.

-

-

-

"You haven't been resting your leg, I suppose," Sasuke exclaimed, looking down at her plastered leg to her sweaty face; just as he thought. The girl never admits that she was having a hard time, even though he found her at the staircase, panting and almost fainting in fatigue.

They were also classmates on the class before, which is Human Psychology; and the class before, which is General Physiology. They were also lab mates in Advance Biology. To top it all of, they were even classmates here in Advance Anatomy. Talk about _super _classmates yet Sakura acted like she never knew him. She hadn't shown anything that she was able to recognize him at all. To think that they spent a whole day in the hospital together, Sasuke can't help but to be puzzled by the girl's antics.

"I insist in doing this alone," Sakura pointed out. She raised her hand after her name was called twice for the attendance before she placed her small duffel bag and her bottle of honey water on her armchair. She sighed before she picked up the metal clutches Sasuke gave him the class before. "And, I don't need this," she exclaimed.

Sasuke raised a brow. "Aren't they so convenient awhile ago?" Sasuke mused, thinking about her relived expression when she found out that it was _a lot _easier walking with those a while ago.

"I don't need it. Besides, it doesn't look good on me," Sakura insisted, picking out her Anatomy notebook as the blonde professor walks in. Everyone nearly felt silent as the teacher walked flawlessly on the platform, towards the huge desk in the middle. When she reached the assistant professor, she nodded before she lifted her brown eyes lazily towards the packed out lecture hall. Her brows creased. "Shizune, are they all students enlisted here? I highly doubt that," she exclaimed with outmost easiness.

"Uh… Chotto…" Shizune walked towards the microphone and spoke. "Those who weren't part of this class, please leave. Tsunade-sensei doesn't entertain those who weren't enlisted. You can leave now," she said calmly.

Sakura almost gagged when she saw half of the class standing up, some scratching their heads in frustration. "Eh? Why are they so many?" she asked, mostly to herself.

Sasuke spared her a glance before he cupped his chin, feeling pretty bored. "If you hadn't known, Tsunade-sensei is the most popular professor here. Students are practically killing each other just to attend her lectures. For the past semesters, she used to entertain those who weren't even part of the official class list but now I guess she wouldn't."

"She is Tsunade-sensei? Oh my god, this is the first time I saw her!" Sakura gasped. She straightened her back to get a nice view of her idol. She heard a lot of successful operations pioneered by her; Tsunade-sensei was definitely the Japanese doctor of the decade.

Sasuke watched her lazily as she reverted to her childish attitude.

"Wow! This is so awesome. When I enlisted in this class, I never knew Tsunade-sensei would be the professor," Sakura smiled lopsidedly.

"Of course. The online enlistment conceals the name of the instructors," he explained but Sakura was too excited to hear him out.

"Wow. This is so great…" she said cheerfully until she finally sat back to her seat. Her features were incredibly lightened, Sasuke noted. Just then, her attention fell on Sasuke. "Why aren't you happy about this? You said so yourself that students were killing each other just to get enlisted in this class."

Sasuke grunted. "She once became my professor when I was still in pre-med. Besides," he paused a bit dramatically. He smirked before he continued. "She's my intern adviser until I graduate."

"What?" Sakura exclaimed, shocked! Now she knows where Sasuke got those good books. Every class, Sasuke got these awesome books that Sakura even found so hard to find in the library. She hasn't even found half of them while Sasuke here got them all from his every trusting adviser. She sighed. Just then, a thought hit her. "Why… Why were you her advisee?" she asked rhetorically.

Sasuke just smirked.

"What?! Don't tell me you were—" Sakura cut herself. Her voice was a bit high that students in front of them got startled. She bit her lip in embarrassment and regret before continuing. "You were the one who topped the Tokyo Medical School's entrance exam?" Sakura almost fainted in disbelief. "Oh my god…"

"Who was your adviser?" Sasuke asked, turning to her.

"I've never met him since he was out of town last week. He's Hatake Kakashi, the famous heart surgeon," Sakura replied.

Sasuke nodded for sometime before smirking. "He was my adviser when I was still a Psychology major."

Sakura pouted. This guy has a lot of connections and gets the best of everything while she was practically alone. The ones she got were also from Yokohama University; they don't have any connections here too. No doubt that he was able to top the exam; the books needed for the review was practically at his fingertips! Her blood almost boiled upon seeing Sasuke pulled out his Anatomy book. From its cover, it looked vivid and Sakura could tell that this is the most detailed in town. Seeing the publishing place, her thoughts were confirmed. It was even bought from abroad! Lucky, lucky Uchiha.

"It'll be quite hard to find Kakashi-sensei. He has a habit of playing hide-and-seek with his advisees; you must be cautious. Knowing him, he will be out reading his perverted book while his advises were all dying to see him. Being out of town was one of his lamest excuses. Check out the roof top at the Faculty Center, he'll be there for sure," Sasuke said before he opened his notebook, ready to take down notes.

Sakura tilted her head in confusion. So she was tricked by her adviser? And she was so gullible to buy the lamest excuse ever made in the planet. When the assistant professor began distributing copies of the syllabus, Sasuke kept quiet, looking extremely focused. She cupped her cheek and stared lazily down the teacher's table, looking at the beautiful face of her professor. Who else would think that that pretty face was the greatest doctor and the dean of Tokyo University Medical School? Her hazel eyes were strict and narrowed as if observing her students one by one. Sakura felt goose bumps when their eyes met. Tsunade paused for a second, staring at Sakura's emerald ones before she spotted her advisee. The look of recognition was evident on her face.

She finished looking at the rest of the students before she cleared her throat and took over the microphone.

"Konichiwa. I'm your teacher for Anatomy 102: Advance Anatomy. Consultation hours are available at the syllabus. Any more questions?"

The whole class just stared at her with awe and Tsunade even wondered if they were listening to what she just said. "Okay. Moving on, there is only one rule in this class so listen up."

"Do not be late or miss a class, or else you'll be automatically dropped off the course," Sasuke mumbled.

Sakura stared at him in shock. "For real?" she asked, disbelief tainting her emerald eyes.

"Tardiness and Absences will not be accepted. Committing such is equivalent to being automatically dropped. You don't have to bother in filling up the dropping form; Shizune here will gladly do it for you. Listen," she paused until she saw everyone sitting still. "If everyone in this hall wants to be a doctor, then you must all be aware of your responsibilities. You can't be late in an operation, let alone won't be present on it. Life depends on you. If you value yours, don't tolerate tardiness and absences. Understood?"

-

-

-

Sakura sighed as she plopped her elbows on top of a picnic table in their cafeteria. Her pair of clutches was resting beside her seat and her duffel bag was on the other chair. Since Sasuke still insists in helping her and she told him to drop her off in the nearby canteen; Naruto and Ino will meet her there.

Sakura began scanning her surroundings, looking flocks of students buzzing their way out of the crowded lobby. The Medical School alone was huge. It houses four buildings and the Tokyo Medical Hospital, a huge quadrangle and two dormitories. That was pretty big for her, thinking about her university way back in Yokohama. And to top it all, Sakura felt deserted and alone. The place was so big yet Sakura only have a couple of familiar faces to check out. Unlike Sasuke, she began, who seemed to know _everyone _in all of their classes. Maybe because he took his pro-med here, or maybe because of his brains… and looks… Or maybe because he's just Uchiha Sasuke. End of conversation. It seems like everyone in their school wants to be his friend. Girls were flocking around him, guys were all so friendly towards him. Heck, even teachers know him! It's like out of ten students, he knew three of them, then six knew him (but he doesn't know them in return, that's how popular he is!) and the remaining one student was someone like Sakura who had no clue about him at all.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto flicked his fingers in front of her as she staggered back.

"What are you doing?" she asked, pretty much annoyed.

"You were spacing out. I've called you a couple of times but you wouldn't respond. Tell me, are you tired?" Naruto asked.

Ino then followed suit, taking a seat next to Sakura.

"Just a bit," she lied. Of course she was _dead _tired. Imagining walking with her kind of handicap; everything was just so difficult. "To think of it, I had four classes straight. How about you guys?" she asked.

Ino raised her magnificent brow. "I bet you didn't notice." _Who would if your seatmate was _the _gorgeous Uchiha Sasuke? Sakura, you aren't telling us everything, ne?_

"Notice what?" she inquired innocently.

The two shook their heads and sighed. "I told you, Naruto. She was _so _busy back there," Ino mused. Naruto began chuckling.

Sakura rolled her eyes away from her friends. "Back where? Can you please tell me what's going on?"

"We were classmates back in Anatomy. You know, Tsunade-sensei," Ino pointed out as Naruto nodded.

"You're kidding! Why didn't you called me up? I was sitting at the back!"

"Of course we spotted you. Believe me, you are the only one with pink hair in this university. It is so easy to notice someone like you," Ino exclaimed as she sipped her toffee nut latte. "You were actually late, right? Your name was called twice but you weren't in the lecture hall that time."

"Hai! I got stuck in a jam in the staircase," she explained casually.

"Thought so." Ino paused before she eyes Naruto. "So, should we all go back to the dorm? I feel tired." Sakura immediately agreed and the three took the trail towards their dormitory. As Ino and Naruto watched Sakura's back, Ino remembered what Naruto told her. So the Uchiha and Sakura after all were bound to meet and it would be pointless not to let that happen. If it's Sakura's choice to open her doors to him, the two have no right to stop her. They tried to do so when they were in junior high and though it didn't went well in the end, at least it was her choice. Now, if Sakura doesn't want to say something about her new found friend, Ino and Naruto would just have to wait until she's ready.


End file.
